1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing ceramic products, particularly ceramic honeycomb structural bodies.
2. Related Art Statement
Heretofore, in order to produce ceramic products by firing shaped green bodies of ceramic raw materials of the ceramic products in a firing furnace, a method is known of mounting and firing a shaped green body of ceramic raw materials on a supporting ceramic pillow or supporting plate without directly mounting the shaped green body on a shelf plate of the firing furnace, for preventing formation of cracks and adhesion of the shaped green bodies to the shelf plate. In producing ceramic honeycomb structural bodies, a method of firing shaped green bodies of ceramic raw materials is prevailingly effected wherein spacers are inserted between supporting plates and shelf plates, as disclosed in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,542 "Setters and Firing of Ceramic Honeycomb Structural Bodies by Using the Same".
Such insertion method has a drawback in that, when firing a heavy honeycomb structural body, the supporting plate is bent downwardly by the weight of the honeycomb structural body itself, so that the end surface of the honeycomb structural body supported by the supporting plate is deformed. A similar defect is also found when a plurality of honeycomb structural bodies are superposed on the supporting plate exerting a heavy weight load thereon.
Moreover, if a green or non-fired supporting plate is used for supporting a green honeycomb structural body of raw ceramic materials at the time of firing the green honeycomb structural body, cracking or breakage of ribs of the honeycomb structural body caused by friction resistive force generated at the contacting surfaces of the honeycomb structural body and the supporting plate by expansion and shrinkage during the firing thereof is easily prevented. However, in such a case, there is a drawback in that the honeycomb structural body is liable to deform with the green supporting plate due to its weight. If a fired supporting plate is used for supporting the green honeycomb structural body during firing, cracking or breakage of ribs of the honeycomb structural body is liable to occur, though the deformation of the honeycomb structural body due to its weight is easily prevented.